Umbrella having a locking member to prevent release of a tip of a rib from a canopy

ABSTRACT

An umbrella includes a canopy having a rib-connecting end, a rib having a tip to connect with the rib-connecting end, a tip cap connected to the rib-connecting end of the canopy and defining a receiving space that receives therein the tip of the rib, and a locking member connected to the tip cap to prevent release of the tip of the rib from the receiving space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an umbrella, more particularly to an umbrellahaving a locking member to prevent release of a tip of a rib from acanopy.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a conventional umbrellahaving a tip 530 of a rib 53 inserted tautly into a pocket 52 of acanopy 5. The canopy 5 includes a fabric piece 51 sewn to a bottom face500 of a rib-connecting end 50 of the canopy 5 to form the pocket 52.The length of the rib 53 is usually made long so as to stretch thecanopy 5 when the umbrella is opened. However, when a strong wind isencountered, the tip 530 of the rib 53 is easily released from thepocket 52, and needs to be inserted back into the pocket 52 manually.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an umbrellahaving a locking member that can stably position a tip of a rib to arib-connecting end of a canopy during opening and collapsing of theumbrella.

According to this invention, an umbrella comprises a canopy having arib-connecting end, a rib having a tip to connect with therib-connecting end, a tip cap connected to the rib-connecting end of thecanopy and defining a receiving space that receives therein the tip ofthe rib, and a locking member connected to the tip cap to preventrelease of the tip of the rib from the receiving space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic bottom view of a conventionalumbrella;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of an umbrellaaccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of an umbrellaaccording to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of an umbrellaaccording to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary assembled sectional view of the third preferredembodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic bottom view of an umbrella accordingto the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it shouldbe noted that the same reference numerals have been used to denote likeelements throughout the specification.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a portion of an umbrella 8 embodyingthe first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The portion ofthe umbrella 8 as shown includes a canopy 3 having a rib-connecting end30, a rib 2 having a tip 20, a tip cap 10, and a locking member.

The tip cap 10 is connected to the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy3, and is made of a substantially U-shaped metal body having paralleltop and bottom plates 103, 104, and a transverse plate 101 having topand bottom ends connected respectively to the top and bottom plates 103,104. The top and bottom plates 103, 104 and the transverse plate 101cooperatively define a first receiving space 100 to receive therein thetip 20 of the rib 2. Each of the top and bottom plates 103, 104 has alocking hole 120, 120′ that is proximate to the transverse plate 101.

The locking member includes a headed screw 4.

To position the tip 20 of the rib 2 to the rib-connecting end 30 of thecanopy 3, the tip 20 of the rib 2 is first inserted into the firstreceiving space 100 in the tip cap 10 until the tip 20 abuts against thetransverse plate 101, after which the screw 4 is passed transverselythrough a through hole 31 in the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3,the locking hole 120 in the top plate 103, a through hole 21 in the tip20 of the rib 2, and the locking hole 120′ in the bottom plate 104,thereby fixing the tip 20 of the rib 2 and the tip cap 10 to therib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3. Hence, release of the tip 20 ofthe rib 2 from the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3 is prevented.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a portion of an umbrella 8′embodying the second preferred embodiment of the present invention,which is similar to the first preferred embodiment. However, in thisembodiment, the tip cap 10′ has a cap wall 105, two top locking holes120 provided in a top plate 103′ of the cap wall 105, and two bottomlocking holes 120′ provided in a bottom plate 104′ of the cap wall 105and aligned respectively with the top locking holes 120. The cap wall105 surrounds the tip 20 of the rib 2, defines the first receiving space100′, and has only one open end 107. The tip 20 of the rib 2 is insertedinto the first receiving space 100′ in the tip cap 10′ via the open end107 until the tip 20 abuts against a transverse plate 101′ of the capwall 105, after which two screws 4 are passed transversely andrespectively through through holes 31 in the rib-connecting end 30 ofthe canopy 3, the top locking holes 120, the through holes 21 in the tip20 of the rib 2, and the bottom locking holes 120′, thereby fixing thetip 20 of the rib 2 to the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a portion of an umbrella 8″embodying the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, whichis similar to the second preferred embodiment. However, in thisembodiment, the tip cap 10″ further has a substantially L-shaped pressarm 40 integral with the top plate 103′ of the cap wall 105 andextending longitudinally of the tip 20 of the rib 2 and outwardly of thecap wall 105. In particular, the press arm 40 has a short plate portion400 connected transversely to the top plate 103′, and a long plateportion 401 connected to the short plate portion 400 and extending alongthe top plate 103′. The long and short plate portions 400, 401 of thepress arm 40 and the top plate 103′ of the cap wall 105 cooperativelydefine a second receiving space 402. A locking slot 403 is formed in thelong plate portion 401 of the press arm 40, and communicates spatiallywith the second receiving space 402. Further, unlike the first andsecond embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, the top and bottom plates 103′,104′ of the cap wall 105 are not provided with the locking holes 120,120″, and the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3 has no through hole31.

The tip 20 of the rib 2 is first inserted into the first receiving space100″ in the tip cap 10″ until the tip 20 abuts against the transverseplate 101, after which the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3 isinserted into the second receiving space 402 between the press arm 40and the cap wall 105. Finally, the screw 4 is passed transverselythrough the locking slot 403 and into the second receiving space 402 soas to press tightly the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3 againstthe top plate 103′ of the cap wall 105, as best shown in FIG. 5.

If the locking holes 120, 120′ in the top and bottom plates 103′, 104′of the cap wall 105 are provided in this embodiment, the screw 4 may bearranged to extend through the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3 andthe tip 20 of the rib 2 so as to fix the tip 20 of the rib 2 and the tipcap 10″ to the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3. Moreover, if thetop plate 103 of the tip cap 10 in FIG. 2 of the first preferredembodiment is provided with the L-shaped press arm 40, the advantages ofthe third preferred embodiment can be similarly achieved.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fragmentary bottom view of an umbrella (8 a)embodying the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention. Inthis embodiment, the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3 is providedwith a reinforcing member 31. The reinforcing member 31 may be made of astrong fabric or leather to enhance durability of the canopy 3. Hence,in each of the aforementioned preferred embodiments, the rib-connectingend 30 of the canopy 3 may be further provided with the reinforcingmember 31 so as to prevent the rib-connecting end 30 of the canopy 3from being easily damaged.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatare considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations andequivalent arrangements.

1. An umbrella comprising: a canopy having a rib-connecting end; a ribhaving a tip to connect with said rib-connecting end; a tip capconnected to said rib-connecting end of said canopy and defining a firstreceiving space that receives therein said tip of said rib; and alocking member connected to said tip cap to prevent release of said tipof said rib from said first receiving space.
 2. The umbrella of claim 1,wherein said locking member extends transversely through said tip capand said tip of said rib.
 3. The umbrella of claim 2, wherein saidlocking member includes a headed screw.
 4. The umbrella of claim 3,wherein said tip cap has top and bottom plates, and a transverse platehaving top and bottom ends connected respectively to said top and bottomplates, said top and bottom plates and said transverse platecooperatively defining said first receiving space, each of said top andbottom plates having a locking hole for passage of said headed screw. 5.The umbrella of claim 3, wherein said tip cap has a cap wall surroundingsaid tip of said rib and defining said first receiving space, and topand bottom locking holes provided respectively in said cap wall forpassage of said headed screw.
 6. The umbrella of claim 3, wherein saidtip cap has a cap wall surrounding said tip of said rib and definingsaid first receiving space, a press arm integral with said cap wall andextending longitudinally of said tip of said rib and outwardly of saidcap wall, and a locking slot provided in said press arm, saidrib-connecting end of said canopy extending between said press arm andsaid cap wall, said headed screw extending through said locking slot andpressing tightly said rib-connecting end of said canopy against said capwall.
 7. The umbrella of claim 1, wherein said rib-connecting end ofsaid canopy is provided with a reinforcing member.
 8. The umbrella ofclaim 7, wherein said reinforcing member is made of a strong fabric. 9.The umbrella of claim 7, wherein said reinforcing member is made ofleather.